Flattening device for coiled strip



y ,1959 K. H. R. mm 2,887,147

FLATTENING DEVICE FOR COILED STRIP Filed Dec. 7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7/ INVENTOR.

May 19, 1959 K. H. R. FICHT FLATTENING DEVICE FOR comm STRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7, 1956 United Sttes Patent FLATTENING DEVICE FOR COILED STRIP Karl Herman Reinhold Ficht, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Special Engineering Service, Inc., Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application December 7, 1956, Serial No. 626,949

7 Claims. (Cl. 153-85) This invention relates to mechanisms for assisting in the preparation of coiled metal strip for feeding to a stamping press or similar machine tool, and more particularly to devices for flattening coiled stock so as to facilitate entry into a press feed mechanism.

In the manufacture of pressed metal parts from coiled sheet stock, it is ordinarily necessary that the stock be changed from an arcuate to a flat configuration before being fed between the press dies. Moreover, in cases where feeding is accomplished with the assistance of a power-operated press feed mechanism, it is sometimes required that the stock be fed to this mechanism in a flattened condition. A known form of straightening device comprises a series of parallel rollers alternately positioned above and below the path of the stock, the forces imposed on the strip as it passes between these rollers being of such a nature as to produce flattened stock. Among the problems involved in the use of this type of straightening device has been the difficulty encountered in initially entering the coiled strip between the series of rollers. Since the rollers are rather closely spaced and the strip, which may be of heavy gauge steel, has a convex outer surface with a radius approximately that of the coil, manual insertion of the outer end of the coil between the straightening rollers has been a task involving considerable time and labor.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this problem, and to provide a novel and improved mechanism for use in association with a coiled strip flattening device which will permit straightening of the outer end of the coiled strip without manual effort, thus facilitating insertion of the strip between the flattening rollers.

It is another object to provide an improved mecha nism of this character, which is of relatively simple and economical construction and may be readily incorporated in an assembly together with the flattening rollers without unduly increasing the size of the unit or interfering with normal operation of the flattener.

It is a further object to provide an improved straightening device of this nature which may operate in cooperation with means for preventing undesired expansion of the coil during the straightening process.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a coiled strip straightening device incorporating the novel and improved mechanism of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the unit showing the relative positions of the parts; and

Figure 3 is an end elevational view taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Figure 2 and showing the supporting means for the presser bar.

In general terms, the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a ramp positioned between the sup- 2,887,147 Patented May 19, 1959.

porting means for a coil of strip stock and a coil flattening device, together with a vertically moving presser bar mounted above the ramp and cooperating: therewith. In particular, the ramp is so positioned as to permit the outer edge of the coiled strip to be placed thereon, with an adjacent portion of the partially uncoiled outer strip end in the path of the downwardly descending presser bar. The inclination of the ramp is such that upon downward pressure being exerted on the presser bar, the outer portion of the strip will be straightened without manual effort being required. A pivoted arm, engageable with the outer surface of the coil, cooperates therewith to prevent undue coil expansion during the endv straightening process. After use, the presser bar is retracted. The straightened outer end of the strip may then be manually inserted between the rollers of the flattening device, and the device is operated in the normal. manner to flatten strip as it is unwound from the coil by the press feed mechanism. 1

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device comprises a base generally indicated at 11, the base having a horizontal lower portion and spaced parallel upstanding side walls 12 and 13. Referring to Figure 2, the entire assembly shown in the figures may be regarded as having three stations, a coil supporting station generally indicated at 14, an outer end straightening station generally indicated at 15, and a strip flattening section generally indicated at 16. These stations are arranged in tandem relation on base 11 so that the coil is received and supported at one end (station 14) of the base, the outer end of the strip operated upon by the mechanism at station 15, and the strip then fed continuously from station 14 through station 16 and to the press feed mech anism (not shown). 1

Referring first to station 14, this comprises a pair ofcircular plates 17 and 18 in parallel relation, as seen in Figure 1, for receiving and guiding the coil therebetween. Plates 17 and 18 are adjustable toward and away from each other by means of supporting shafts 19 and adjusting screws 21 mounted in side walls 12 and 13 of base 11, to thereby accommodate varying strip widths. Mountedbelow plates 17 and 18 are a pair of supporting rollers; 22 and 23, these rollers being mounted on parallel hori zontal axes in the lower portion of base 11. Rollers 22 and 23 serve to support the lower portion of a coiled strip, indicated at 24 in Figure 2, in such a manner that the strip may be unwound while disposed between guide plates 17 and 18. An arm 25 is pivotally mounted at26 beneath a plate 27 extending between the upper edges of side walls 12 and 13 at an intermediate portion of base 11. Arm 25 is provided with an angularly extending outer end 28 which is pivotally connected to a piston rod 29 extending from a double acting cylinder 31. Fluid connections 32 at cylinder 31 lead to a valve (not shown) by means of which arm 25 may be controlled to permit coil 24 to settle gently into its supported position, or to eject a partially used coil if desired.

Strip end straightening station 15 is located adjacent station 14 and comprises a pair of posts 33 and 34' mounted on side walls 12 and 13 respectively, as seen in Figures 1 and 3. These posts each comprise a widened base portion 35, best seen in Figure 2, and are provided with vertical ribs 36 on the outer surfaces thereof for strengthening purposes. A bridging member 37 strengthened by a pair of parallel ribs 38 extends across the tops of posts 33 and 34 and supports the lower end of a vertically disposed cylinder 39. A piston rod 41 extends downwardly from cylinder 39 through an apertured portion in bridging member 37 and has a presser bansupporting member 42 secured at the lower end thereof. An elongated presser bar 43 with a rounded lower surface is secured to the underside of supporting member 42, this bar being centrally located with respect to the longitudinal axis of base 11 and extending transversely thereto. Cylinder .39 is of a double-acting type and is provided with an upper fluid connection 44 and a lower fluid connection 45, these connections being controlled by a handoperated valve 46 mounted on a rib 36 of post 33, as seen in Figure 2. The arrangement is such that presser bar 43 may be forced downwardly by fluid pressure or may be withdrawn upwardly by manipulation of valve 46. A pair of vertical guide rails 47 are provided on the insides of each of posts 33 and 34, the outer ends of supporting bar 42 being disposed between these rails, thereby supporting and guiding presser bar 43 during its operative movement.

' Disposed beneath presser bar 43 and between posts 33 and 34 are a pair of inclined ramps 48 and 49. These ramps are in spaced parallel relation and are provided with wear plates 50, the upper surfaces of these plates being inclined upwardly in a direction away from coil supporting station 14. Ramps 45 and 49 are supported by plate 27, a pair of gusset plates 51 and a transverse web plate 52 being provided beneath plate 27 for strengthening purposes. A pair of anti-friction rollers 53 and 54 are rotatably mounted at the upper and lower ends of ramps 48 and 49, extending transversely with respect to the ramps between side walls 12 and 13 of base 11. The angle of inclination of ramps 48 and 49, as seen in Figure 2, is such that when the outer edge 55 of coil 24 rests thereon, it will form a relatively large angle with the ramps. Presser bar 43, which will likewise form a relatively large angle with the strip end portion 56 over which it is disposed, may therefore engage the adjacent outer portion 56 of the strip without causing slippage of edge 55 on wear plates 50.

Also mounted on bridging member 37 is a coil engaging arm 57, the inner end of this arm being secured to a shaft 58 rotatably supported by hearing blocks 59 and 61 secured to one of vertical ribs 38 facing coil supporting station 14. A pinion (not shown) is-secured to shaft 58 within a housing 62'and meshes with a rack 63 formed on a piston rod extending from a cylinder 64 mounted on the opposite vertical rib 38 of bridging member 37. Cylinder 64 is of a double-acting type and is provided with a pair of fluid connections 65 and 66 which are controllable by a manually operated valve 67 mounted on post 33, as seen in Figure 2. The outer end of arm 57 is provided with a roller 68 engageable with the outer surface of coil 24. The arrangement is such that when rack 63 is actuated in one direction (out of the paper as seen in Figure 1) arm 57 will swing downwardly from itsdotted line to its solid line position as seen in Figure 2, thusengaging coil 24 and providing resistance against expansion of the coil.

Since the construction of the flattening mechanism at station 16 by itself comprises no part of the present invention, it is unnecessary to describe this construction in detail. In general, the flattening mechanism comprises a pair .of vertical plates 63 and 71 secured to base 11 be tween which are mounted a plurality of .strip flattening rollers. As is seen best in Figure 2, aninitial pair of rollers comprising an upper roller 72 and a lower roller 73 isprovided, as well as an end pair of rollers 74 and 75. Between these two pairs of rollers are disposed intermediate rollers 76, 77, 78, 79 and 81, these rollers being disposed alternately below and above the path of stock from'coil 24. Means including a cylinder 82 are provided for adjusting the distances between the rollers to facilitate theflattening process.

It will be noted that the space between entrance rollers 72 and 73 'is located slightly below and to the left of the upper ends of ramp wear plates 50, as seen in Figure 2. It will also be observed that with the partially unwound outer end of coil 24 having an arcuate configuration, it would be-extremely diflicult to "insert this outer end be- 4 tween rollers 72 and 73 in order to initiate the flattening operation. It is in order to eliminate this problem of inserting the outer end of the coil strip that the improved mechanism located at station 15 is provided.

Operation Assuming an initial condition in which strip coil supporting stat-ion 14 is empty, a coil 24 will be placed by a crane or other lifting mechanism between guide plates 17 and 18. These coils are usually shipped in a tightly bound condition, and the steel binding tapes are ordinarily removed after the coil has been mounted between these plates. As coil 24 enters between plates 17 and 18, it will first engage supporting roller 22 and arm 25, the arm receding slowly as controlled by cylinder 31 until coil 24 rests on both supporting rollers 22 and 23. If necessary, the spacing between guide plates 17 and 18 may be adjusted by means of lead screws 21 in order to accommodate the coil.

Arm 57 is then actuated from its retracted position to its operative position shown in solid lines in Figure 2, with roller 68 engaging the outer surface of coil 24. The coil binding (not shown) may now be removed, arm 57 preventing undue expansion of the unrestrained coil. The outer end portion 56 of coil 24 is then partially unwound a sufficient distance to permit outer edge 55 to rest on wear plates 59 of ramps 48 and 49, the line of engagement preferably being a substantial distance past a vertical plane passing through presser bar 43. It should be noted that this manipulation will not require appreciable effort in view of the fact that considerable leverage may be obtained to partially unwind outer end portion 56 of the coil into a position as shown in dot-dash lines in Figure 2. It should also be observed that since strip edge 55 need not be accurately placed in any one definite position on ramps 48 and 49, a minimum of time and efiort will be expended in adjusting the strip.

Presser bar 43 may now be actuated downwardly from its position shown in Figure 2 until it engages arcuately shaped outer end portion 56 of coil 24. This action will cause portion 56 to be straightened. After presser bar 43 has been forced downwardly a sufficient distance to approximately straighten the adjacent area of end portion 56, the bar will be retracted to its upper position. Coil 24 is then unrolled a further distance, bringing outer edge 55 somewhat closer to entrance rollers 72 and 73 of the flattening station. If necessary, presser bar 43 may be forced downwardly several more times on successive portions of end portion 56 until a suflicient area of the outer end is approximately flat to enable outer edge 55 to be inserted between rollers 72 and 73. If it is necessary to flatten more of coil 24- in order to fully enter its outer end portion 56 between the flattening rollers, this may be accomplished by additional operations of pressure bar 43. After flattening station 16 has assumed full operation, presser bar 43 will be retracted into its upper position, so that the stock from coil 24 will be fed in a straight path from coil supporting station 14 to flattening station 16 as shown by the solid and dotted lines in Figure 2, without engaging any portion of station 15.

It should be noted that arm 57 may be maintained in. engagement with coil 24 during the above-described operation, and will serve to prevent undesired expansion of coil 24 while presser bar 43 is being forced downwardly against the stock. It should also be observed that front end straightening station 15 will in no way interfere with the operation of the main flattening station 16. In particular, rollers 53 and 54 will insure a smooth move ment of the stock to flattening station 16, even during portions of the operation in which the coil has a relatively small diameter. Should it be desired to eject a partially used coil from between side plates 17 and 18, this may be accomplished by proper actuation of cylinder 31.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed is well calculated tozfulfill assent? the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for straightening coiled strip stock, a base having a pair of upstanding parallel walls, a pair of spaced parallel supporting rollers extending between said walls at the lower portion of said base, said rollers being adapted to support a coil of strip stock for unwinding, guide plates carried by said walls for the sides of a coil supported by said rollers, a ramp on the upper portion of said base adjacent said guide plates, said ramp being inclined upwardly in a direction away from said guide plates and being so positioned as to permit the outer edge of said coil to rest thereon when the outer end portion of the coil has been partially unwound, a pair of posts on opposite sides of said ramp, said posts being spaced apart a suflicient distance to permit entry of said strip therebetween, a bridging member extending between the tops of said posts, a double-acting cylinder mounted on said bridging member, a piston rod extending downwardly from said cylinder through said bridging member, an elongated presser bar secured to said piston rod and extending transversely with respect to said strip, means on said posts for guiding the opposite ends of said presser bar for Vertical movement, and a valve for controlling said double-acting cylinder, whereby said presser bar is movable from a retracted position permitting free passage of the strip between said posts, downwardly into engagement with the convex surface of a partially unwound outer coil end portion the edge of which rests on said ramp, whereby said outer end portion of the coil will be straightened.

2. The combination according to claim 1, further provided with a restraining arm pivotally mounted at its inner end to said bridging member, the outer end of said arm being engageable with the outer surface of a coil resting on said supporting rollers, and means for rocking said arm between a retracting position and an operative position in engagement with said coil, whereby expansion of the coil due to downward movement of said presser bar will be prevented.

3. The combination according to claim 2, the means for moving said restraining arm comprising a shaft supporting said arm, a pinion on said shaft, a second doubleacting cylinder on said bridging member, a piston rod extending from said second cylinder, a rack on said piston rod meshing with said pinion, and a valve for controlling said second cylinder.

4. The combination according to claim 1, further provided with a pair of anti-friction rollers at the upper and lower ends of said ramp, said rollers being on parallel axes transverse to said ramp.

5. In a device for straightening coiled strip stock, a base, a pair of coil supporting rollers in the lower portion of said base adjacent one end thereof for rotatably supporting a coil, a ramp supported by an upper portion of said base at an intermediate section thereof, said ramp being inclined upwardly in a direction away from the position of a coil resting on said rollers, a pair of posts on opposite sides of said ramp and spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit passage of strip from a coil resting on said rollers, a vertically mounted cylinder supported by said posts, a presser bar connected to said cylinder for vertical movement and extending transversely with respect to a strip resting on said rollers, rails on the insides of said posts for guiding the opposite ends of said presser bar, a flattening device for coiled strip carried by the upper portion of said base at the end thereof remote from the end occupied by said rollers, anti-friction rollers at the upper and lower ends of said ramp for preventing frictional engagement with said ramp of a strip passingto said flattening device, and an arm pivotally mounted adjacent a coil supported by said supporting rollers, said arm being movable between a retracted position and a position in engagement with a portion of said coil, whereby expansion of said coil due to engagement of said presser bar with a partially unwound end thereof will be prevented.

6. In a device for straightening coiled strip stock, means for rotatably supporting a coil, a strip flattening device comprising a plurality of rollers in spaced relation with said coil supporting means, a ramp disposed between said coil supporting means and strip flattening device for holding the outer edge of a partially unwound coil against downward movement, a pair of parallel straight rails extending upwardly on opposite sides of said ramp, a presser bar extending between and slidably supported by said rails for straight-line movement toward and away from said ramp, means for forcing said presser bar toward said ramp, and restraining means movable between a retracted position and an operative position in engagement with said coil, whereby undesired expansion of said coil will be prevented during engagement of said presser bar with the outer end portion thereof.

7. In a device for straightening coiled strip stock, a base, a pair of spaced parallel supporting rollers rotatably mounted on said base and adapted to support a coil of strip stock for unwinding, guide means extending upwardly on opposite sides of said base for supporting the sides of a coil supported by said rollers, a ramp adjacent the upper portion of said guide means and positioned so as to permit the outer edge of said coil to rest thereon when the outer end portion of the coil has been partially unwound, a pair of posts on opposite sides of said ramp, said posts being spaced apart a sufiicient distance to permit entry of said strip therebetween, a pair of parallel straight rails secured to said posts and extending above said rail, an elongated presser bar extending between said rails and supported thereby for straight-line movement toward and away from said ramp, a bridging member secured to the tops of said posts, a reversible reciprocating motor carried by said bridging member and connected to said presser bar, and means for controlling actuation of said motor in opposite directions, whereby said presser bar is movable from a retracted position permitting free passage of the strip between said posts, downwardly into engagement with the convex surface of a partially unwound outer coil end portion the edge of which rests on said ramp, whereby said outer end portion of the coil will be straightened.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,872,045 Smitmans Aug. 16, 1932 2,280,564 Wilson Apr. 21, 1932 2,494,399 McCleary Jan. 10, 1950 

